Strainer.



W. H. THOMA.

STRAINER. APPLICATION rILBD APR.19,1912.

Patented D60. 10, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

FIG-3.3.

marsh srairs EP C WILLIAM: H. THOMA, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA;

STRAINEB.

fication.

line 11-11 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8, a horizontal An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for straining or filtering water embodying means whereby the flow or passage of water through the strainer from. a raceway or other source of water supply, to a pump, for example, may continue uninterrupted during the act of removing the refuse or foreign matter caught by the strainer element. i

A further object of the present invention I is the provision of a strainer of the class mentioned having a chamber adapted to receive the foreign matter caught by the strainer element, and means operable to ef fect an automatic discharge of the refuse from said chamber by the water-supply.

Strainers of the class to which the present invent-ion particularly relates are primarily designed for use in connection with a source of water supply not under pressure and in connection with a pump adapted to suck or draw the water through the strainer located between the water supply and the pump; but my invention is equally applicable where the water is conveyed under pressure as well as on suction lines having a vacuum.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrates an application of my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal.sectional I View of a strainer embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal sectional view taken on l I i sectional view taken on line HI---IH ot Fi .1; Fig. 4, a detail vertical Swami l view particularly showing the outlet end of the strainer; Fig. 5, a vertical sectional view taken on line v-v of Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a vcrtil cal sectional view taken on line Vl-Vfl of I Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 7, a diagrammatic view l showing a pump and illustrating an application of my inventionin connection with a suction line. Referring to the drawings, 1. designates the strainer casing or body preferably made, from a single casting and formed with an 1 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 19, 1812. Serial No. 691,823.

inlet connection or passage 2, and an outlet or passage 3. j I 4. andv 5 designate openings formed in the top of the casing. The interior ofthe cas ing is divided by partitions to form a straining chamber 6 having an inclined top wall 7, said chamber 6 being adapted to to ceive a straining element 6 secured Within said chamber.

The straining chamber'6 is in communication with the outlet 3 through the passages 8 and 9. The flow of water entering Patented Dec.10,1912.

the inlet 2 passes down through an opening in the inclined wall into the strainer element 6 and through said element into the straining chamber 6 from whence it flows to the outlet 3 through passages 8 and 9. The foreign mat-ter or refuse carried into the strainer element is caught thereby and falls into a refuse chamber 10 located below the filtering chamber.

Inter-posed between the refuse chamber 10 or a passage 11 in communication therewith.

and constituting a part of the chamberdesigned to catch and retain the refuse, and the outlet 3, I provide a chamber 12, hereinafter referred to as the cleaning chamber.

- TlllS cleaning chamber is preferably c1rc11-- lar in cross section and its wall is provided with opposed openings 13 and 14 respectivelv providing communication between the passage 11 and the outlet 3.

Located within cleaning chamber 12 and operable to open and close communication between the refuse chamber and the outlet, is a valve device 15, and a removable perfo rated cleaning basket or cage 16. Valve 15 is moved to open and closed positions by means of a screw threaded operating stem .17 extending through chamber 12 and having its lower end entered in a socket 18 located iiva wall of the chamber. The up per end of the stem 1'? is connected withh stem 19 projecting through a stuffing box carried on a lid 20 of a removable closure element or cover 21. I a

The position of thevalve 15 as shown by Fig. 1 cuts off communication between the refuse chamber 10 and the outlet, and in the position shown by Fig. 4, communication between the refuse chamber and the outlet is effected. When in the open position last mentioned, the action of the pump sucks or draws the refuse from chamber 10 and its communicating passage 11 1n to the basket It will be understood that valve 15 is normally in the position shown by Fig. l,

but that when" it is desired to clean the strainer, said valve 15 is moved intothe position shown by Fig. 4, and the suction action of the pump is ultlized to discharge the refuse from the refuse chamber. From the construction illustrated, it will be seen that the removal of the refuse from said chamber 10 into the removable basket 16 may be effected without stopping the flow of water through the strainer, so that the strainer at all times provides for. a continuous and uninterrupted flow of water therethrough.

The strainer element 6, as illustrated, is supported by the inclined wall 7 and comprises a slightly tapering perforated cylindrical member open at both ends. In order to prevent the perforations from becoming elczgged, I provide a scraper 22 supported by ro s 23 secured to a shaft 24: which extends through a stuffing-box 25 carried on a cover 26 designed to close the opening 4 of the but I'do strainer casing. The lower end of shaft 24: is supported in a socket 27 and'its upper end is provided with a handle 28.

It may be desirable in some instances to provide a screen 29 over the opening 14: and to form a small port 30 in the wall of the cleaning chamber. It is obvious that in the form of valve and cleaning basket illustrated the interior diameter of the valve is slightly greater-than the diameter of the basket and that the valve is designed to sur round the basket when in its closed position,

not limit myself to this construction.

By the diagrammatic view, I have shown the manner in which strainers of the class to which my invention relates are usually employed, z. 6., a suction line, and in this view,

- spacers 31 designates a pipe leading to the water supply and 32 a pipe leading from the strainer to a pump 38. :2

What I-claim is i 1. In a strainer, a casing having inlet'and outlet passages, a straining chamber with a straining element therein, a refuse chamber, a cleanlng chamber between the refuse chamber and the outlet passage, and means matic discharge of refuse from the refuse chamber to the cleaning chamber.

2. In a strainer, a casing having inlet and outlet passages, straining element therein, a refuse chamber, a cleaning chamber between therefuse chamber and the outlet passage, a removable basket in the cleaning chamber, and a valve operable in one position to effect an automatic discharge of refuse from the refuse chamber to the cleaning chamber.

3. In a strainer, a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a strainer element, a refuse chamber, a valve interposed between the outlet passage and therefuse chamber operable to open and close communication between the refuse chamber and the outlet passage.

4. Means for straining water, etc, the combination with a pump, a strainer, a pipe leading to the strainer, said strainer having inlet and outlet passages, a strainer element,

operable in one position to eft'ectan auto-,-

a strainer chamber with a a refuse chamber, and means between the ref- 

